On the mend: Manchester United long-term absentee Darren Fletcher set to train with Scotland

ON THE MEND: Darren Fletcher in training

By Mancunian Matters staff

Darren Fletcher is hoping to re-join his Manchester United teammates to being the new Premier League season after agreeing to train with the Scotland national team.

The 28-year-old midfielder has been suffering from ulcerative colitis – an inflammatory bowel condition that has kept him out of action for almost a year – but he will join his international colleagues this week.

The United midfielder – who managed to cement his place in the starting line up before being taken ill – will reunite with his Scottish teammates before they face Australia in a friendly tie on Wednesday.

"Darren will be with us at the weekend, he is back in training and he played 45 minutes in a practice match last week," Craig Levein, manager of Scotland said.

"He is not in the squad because he has not played for Manchester United but he will do a bit of training with us."

Although he has not been named in the squad, Fletcher will train with the side having not played a competitive match since November 22 in a Champions League tie against Benfica.

For more on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.